Written Answers Nos. 227-242
227. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for adding an extra lane to the M3-N3 between Clonee and the M50 in view of the resultant increase in traffic this would generate on the M50. [7499/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
228. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of payments made from the green public transport fund. [7500/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Green Public Transport Fund was established by my Department in 2017 to support the uptake of low carbon, energy efficient technologies within the public transport sector. The fund was envisaged to support the piloting and uptake of energy-efficient and alternatively fuelled technologies for Public Service Obligation (PSO) operations within the bus fleet and small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, as well as bridging the price differential between such technologies and conventionally fuelled vehicles.
The role of the Green Public Transport Fund has, however, evolved in line with new policy commitments and increased ambition. Under Project Ireland 2040 the Government has committed that from July 2019 onwards we will no longer buy diesel-only buses for the urban public bus fleet. In order to prepare for the implementation of this, the Fund is being deployed to undertake an up-to-date and comprehensive set of vehicle trials to help further inform purchasing decisions for new buses over the coming years.
The trials commenced in December 2018, and the fuels and technologies being tested include full electric, diesel-electric hybrids, hydrogen and compressed natural gas. The trials will assess CO2 emissions, impact on air quality and the contribution potential towards sectoral renewable energy targets, as well as costs, vehicle availability and operational/infrastructural requirements. The trials are ongoing in Dublin and Cork, and it is expected that they will end in April 2019.
The Fund has also been used to support the transition of the national SPSV fleet to alternative technologies through the establishment of a new Electric Vehicle SPSV Grant Scheme. Under this Scheme, which was launched in April 2018 and is administered by the National Transport Authority on behalf of my Department, a grant of up to €7,000 or €3,500 towards the purchase of a battery electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle respectively is available for vehicles in the taxi/hackney/limousine sector. By the end of December 2018, almost 50 vehicles had received this grant.
In 2018, €252,117 was drawn down from the Green Public Transport Fund for the eSPSV Grant Scheme, while €166,298 was spent on the Low Emission Bus Trials – a total spend of €418,415. The increased take-up under the eSPSV Grant Scheme as more suitable vehicle models came on the market and the scheme became better known in the later months of 2018, coupled with expected funding requirements of the Low Emission Bus Trials, means that a higher draw-down from the Green Public Transport Fund is expected this year. To date in 2019 €80,785 has been drawn down from the Fund.
229. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the value and asset spread of the CIÉ pension fund; and if it is adequate to cater for the demands placed on it. [7501/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIssues in relation to Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees. Therefore, I have referred the Deputy's question to CIÉ for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
230. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the average age of the Dublin Bus fleet in each of the past five years. [7502/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including procurement of the PSO bus fleet.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
231. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to purchase fully electric public transport vehicles in 2019. [7503/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy is aware that Project Ireland 2040 commits to ending the purchase of diesel-only buses from July 2019 for all our urban bus fleets. This is an important commitment and one which we all are looking forward to commencing as part of this year’s PSO bus purchase programme by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
In support of that change a comprehensive series of low-emission bus trials is currently underway in Dublin and Cork, funded through my Department’s Green Public Transport Fund and with support from multiple agencies including the NTA, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.
It is expected that the trials will conclude in April 2019; a final report will be produced which will further inform the best lower-emission option - or options - for our PSO services in the GDA and in the regional cities in the years ahead.
In addition to this, a number of double-deck diesel-electric hybrid buses will shortly be delivered to Dublin Bus for a trial which will allow for a comparison of various manufacturers’ offerings.
Complementing these trials, the NTA will soon commence a tender process for the purchase of diesel-electric hybrid buses as part of next year’s bus purchase programme. This new contract will be in place during the second half of this year but the exact date of delivery of the new hybrid vehicles will only be confirmed subsequent to the appointment of the successful tenderer.
232. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to legislate or regulate for the use of cameras by local authorities, An Garda Síochána or others in enforcing traffic regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7504/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 31 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 empowers road authorities, with the consent of the Garda Commissioner or at his or her request, to provide and maintain any equipment or structure which the authority consider desirable for the detection of offence under the Road Traffic Acts. Furthermore, section 81 of the Act of 2010 provides that evidence from the use of electronic or other apparatus, including cameras, may be used, in prosecutions, as prima facia proof of a constituent of an offence under sections 47, 52, 53, 55, 91, 93 or 94 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, section 35 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 or section 38 of the Railway Safety Act 2005.
233. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 556 of 20 November 2018, if the draft air accident report into Rescue 116 has been completed and circulated for comment; if the process has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; and when he expects the report to be published. [7543/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs per International Convention, EU Regulation and domestic Law relating to accident investigation, it is required that, if the final report into an air accident investigation cannot be made public within 12 months, the safety investigation authority (SIA) shall release an interim statement at least at each anniversary of the accident or serious incident, detailing the progress of the investigation and any safety issued raised. As stated in response to Parliamentary Question No. 556 of 20 November 2018, a Interim Report (2018-004) into the tragic fatal accident of Rescue 116 was issued by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of my Department on 16 March 2018. On information provided by the Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, I can tell the house that at this time a draft air accident investigation report into Rescue 116 has not been completed or circulated. However, a second Interim Report will be issued by the AAIU just prior to the second anniversary of the accident (14 March 2017) outlining the current status of the investigation and progress made to date.
234. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views regarding the manner in which the national search and rescue, SAR, framework operated in the search for Rescue 116; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7545/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National SAR Framework is a document which sets out various roles and responsibilities of the various entities involved in Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue in Ireland, many of whom were involved at an operational level in the search for R116. I am not aware of any concerns arising from the manner in which that search was conducted that would be relevant to the National SAR Framework document.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit’s investigation into the causes of the accident continues and it is vital that they are given the time and space to complete their work. Their interim statement last March called for a review of oversight of Search and Rescue (SAR) aviation operations in Ireland. This was completed last September by independent international expertise (the AQE Report). A key recommendation in that report was to undertake a major review of the SAR Framework document. This is currently underway under the independent Chairmanship of Sir Alan Massey, ex CEO of the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency. As the AQE Report explains, search and rescue oversight and regulation is a complex matter, and international regulation is still endeavouring to keep pace with practice on the ground. However in implementing its recommendations, and, particularly, this major review of the SAR Framework document, Ireland has an opportunity to make meaningful improvement to our current oversight structures, and in doing so set a benchmark for other jurisdictions.
235. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his capital expenditure for the calendar year 2018 from January to December, excluding expenditure by Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the heading of B3 - Road Improvement, Maintenance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7553/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring 2018 my Department invested in Economic and Social infrastructure throughout the entire country. This saw investment across six programmes: Aviation, Road transport (both national and regional roads), Public Transport, Maritime services, supporting Sport and promoting Tourism. The provisional Outturn for 2018 shows that total Capital Investment during 2018 was €1,331m and that the provisional current expenditure was €738m.
Investment in the roads programme under Subhead B3 is divided into both capital and current investment.
Capital investment under B.3 relating to road construction and improvement for 2018, is set out as follows:
B.3.1 Construction of National Roads (€312m)
B.3.4 PPP related Payments (€122m)
B.3.5.2 Regional and Local Roads Improvement (€381m)
Current investment under B.3 relating to roads maintenance is set out as follows:
B.3.2 TII National Roads Maintenance (€34.5m)
B.3.5.1 Regional and Local Roads Maintenance (€51.3m)
Therefore, excluding expenditure under Subhead B3 would mean that our investment during 2018 on our other priority programmes saw levels of Capital Investment of €516m and current expenditure of €652m.
236. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the expenditure details for all consultancy or audit services provided to his Department by a company (details supplied) from 2015 to 2018, inclusive, and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7569/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of all contracts and expenditure on external services is published on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services
The data is published on a six monthly basis. The second half of 2018 (July - December) is currently being compiled and will be published in the coming weeks. Details for the first half of 2019 (January - June) will be published in quarter three of 2019.
237. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if landscape architects have worked on the BusConnects core bus corridor designs. [7586/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of trees to be planted in each of the BusConnects core bus corridor designs. [7587/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra239. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the public seating proposed for each of the BusConnects core bus corridor designs. [7588/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra240. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rain gardens or other sustainable urban drainage elements proposed for each of the BusConnects core bus corridor designs. [7589/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 240, inclusive, together.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the BusConnects programme.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
241. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 928 to 930, inclusive, and 936 of 15 January 2019, if TII has indicated when the data requested will be collated. [7626/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs previously stated to the Deputy, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is a statutory body responsible for the planning, design and construction of national roads in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.
However, I have made enquires to TII on your behalf and I understand from TII that a complete reply to Parliamentary Question No. 936 was issued on the 24 January 2019, and a reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 928-930 issued on 7 February 2019.
242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if improved buses will be provided in a depot (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7630/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including procurement of the PSO bus fleet.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
